The network evolution as a result of the recent telecommunications bill has resulted in the need for global title databases that require complex and precise internetwork coordination to ensure proper delivery of signalling system no. 7 (SS7) signalling connection control part (SCCP) messages such as the unitdata (UDT), unitdata service (UDTS), x-unitdata (XUDT), and x-unitdata service (XUDTS) messages presently defined in ANSI T1.112 titled "Signalling System No. 7 (SS7)--Signalling Connection Control Part (SCCP)". This newly added coordination and complexity has increased burden on network administrators and administration systems. Any inaccuracies during the provisioning process of these databases by the network administrators and administration systems can result in an SCCP message routing continuously back and forth (i.e., circular routing) between network elements without ever reaching the intended final destination.
The current SCCP global title translation (GTT) procedure translates information such as dialed digits into an SS7 routing address called a signalling point code. The signalling point code is used to progress the message to the next network element that is to continue to perform SCCP procedures. SCCP message circular routing occurs when one or more GTT databases are incorrectly provisioned resulting in incorrect routing information being returned when the GTT procedure is performed. The incorrect routing information causes each processed message to be routed repeatedly between network elements without reaching its final destination. This continual circular routing condition will continue indefinitely and may lead to network congestion and possible failure within the network.